Turning the Tide
by TrissKins
Summary: She needed to be saved.


Title: Turning the Tide

Category: Drama/Friendship

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except Baylor.

Warning: Some physical abuse and some strong language.

Summary: She needed to be saved.

Author Notes: This is for a one-shot challenge.

Baylor was sitting on the edge of the ring at the Impact Zone, wasting time until the live show started. No one was in sight despite the fact that you could hear the crowd chanting only a few feet away, Beer...Money!

Baylor rolled her eyes. Beer Money. A team that she was once happy to be the valet of, she now couldn't stand with every fiber of her being. Ever since Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan came to TNA, both men had changed...and not for the better. They were once nice, fun and amazing guys to be around. But since the March 8th episode of Impact, they were like a shell of the men they used to be.

They were much more rude, didn't care about the well being of others, their tempers were unbearable and lately things had transpired to being verbally and at times physically abusive toward the one person that she never thought they would hurt...her.

She really didn't know why they suddenly took their anger out on her but she couldn't stand it anymore. It started with them yelling at her after she accidently cost them a match against Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Damn. Now they would literally grab her arms and shove her into walls or into the barriers at ringside, they would even slap her if she talked back to them. These were not the same men she used to hold so dear to her heart.

Baylor sighed, glancing down at her hands that were clasped in her lap. She ran one finger over the black and blue colors that were decorating her pale skin. She was so enticed with her thoughts she didn't notice someone walking down the ramp until the person was standing right in front of her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" came the voice of one half of the Motor City Machine Guns...Alex Shelley.

Baylor smiled a small, tiny smile before looking at the man who had become one of her closest friends. "Hey Alex. What are you doing in here?" she asked as he moved to stand beside her, his back facing the ring.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing actually. You looked sad when I walked in. Thought you could use some cheering up. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be sad.

Baylor blushed. "Where's Chris at?" she asked, changing the subject. Alex rolled his eyes before laughing. "He was trying to hit on ODB but he accidently knocked her flask on the floor. He's now running for his life. Last I saw of him, he was hiding behind Samoa Joe as ODB was threatening to cut off the one thing that he valued most."

Baylor laughed, shaking her head. "Sounds like Chris."

"Yeah. Seriously though, what's wrong, Bay? Something's wrong."

Baylor sighed. Slowly moving off the ring, standing next to Alex.

"Nothing for you to worry about Alex. Just having to deal with some things." she said as she went to walk up the steps to the ramp but a hand touched her shoulder, stalling her movements.

Alex slowly turned her to face him, his hands coming up to her stroke her face.

"Bay, what's going on? Everybody notices that something has changed with you and with James and Robert. They are not the same guys we all once knew. That's a given but something is clearly different between the three of you. They are more hostile towards you. You know AJ went walking by your locker room the other day and he said he heard yelling and screaming coming from inside. He said he even thought he heard a thump or a thud or something."

Baylor looked down. "It's...it's nothing, Alex."

"Are they hurting you, Bay?"

Baylor looked at him, her eyes starting to tear up. "I have to go, Alex. I need to get ready for the show."

She made to turn away from him but Alex pulled her back, taking her hands in his.

"They are, aren't they? That's where these bruises are from." he stated rather than asked as he ran a finger on the marks on her skin.

Baylor looked into his eyes. Seeing nothing but concern; she slowly nodded her head yes.

Alex closed his eyes before replying. "I thought so. Have you tried telling Jeff or Dixie?"

"No. What would be the point? Beer Money are in Bischoff's pockets. Whatever I say, they won't believe me and James and Robert will take it out on me if it gets out. Kinda a lose-lose situation so there's really no point in telling anyone. Honestly, I probably shouldn't have even admitted it to you."

"Let me help you. Chris and I can go to Dixie. I know she'll believe us."

Baylor shook her head. "No! No, Alex, look, I appreciate your concern and everything but let it go, okay, please?"

Alex just stared at her. "There's no way I can do that. I can't let them get away with hurting you, Bay. It's not right. No man should ever hit a woman." he tried to reason as he moved his hands from her wrists to her face, caressing her cheeks.

"I know but it will be better if no one knows. _I _will be better if no one else knows. You can't tell anyone, Alex. Not Dixie. Not Jeff. Not even Chris. No one."

Before Alex could respond, someone walked up the steps and suddenly appeared on the ramp. "Baylor! Get your ass back to the locker room now!" came the unmistakeable voice of "The Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm.

Alex and Baylor glanced toward the ramp, seeing an angry and obviously drunk James standing a few feet away from them, watching them with a scowl on his face. Alex slowly moved his hands away from Baylor's face as he watched the Cowboy, his eyes never leaving the southern man.

Baylor made to move away but Alex pulled her back to him. "I'm not letting this go, Baylor." he whispered before pulling her into a hug; feeling her tense up at first but then relax against him. "Not by a long shot. I'm gonna hurt both of them tonight in the ring. You just watch yourself at ringside. I don't want you getting hurt."

Baylor shut her eyes and hugged him back. Her arms going around his waist. "Let it go, Alex. Please?"

Alex pulled away before kissing her forehead. "Not a chance in hell."

Baylor reluctantly pulled away from him. A small smile on her lips. She walked up the stairs and started walking up the ramp towards James. The man grabbing her arm and forcing her to the back.

"Just what in the hell were you two talking about?! James raised his voice as he continued to yell at the small woman as they disappeared toward the locker room.

"Not by a long shot." Alex muttered before leaving the empty Impact Zone.

The match had been going on for about 10 minutes and both teams were taking shot after shot on each other. Right at that moment it was Alex and James' as the legal men and both guys were not taking it easy on each other. Each move, each punch was so stiff, it made Baylor wince. Both guys were gonna be so sore after this match.

"Come on, James!" Robert yelled from Beer Money's side of the ring as both men had just clotheslined each other, each man landing on their backs.

James started to move first. Slowly crawling to his tag team partner. "Come on!" Robert yelled before James finally reached his hand and tagged him in as he fell to the floor in front of Baylor.

Baylor kneeled down to check on him. "You okay?" "What the hell do you think?" James growled at her as he pushed her towards the guard rail where the fans were. She winced as her back hit the cold steel and fell down to one knee, grabbing her back.

She looked up just in time to see Robert having the referee's attention as James grabbed his beer bottle and something from his tights. A small shiny object.

"Oh, no." she whispered knowing exactly what was about to happen. She was there when he did it to Jeff Hardy a couple of weeks ago and she still couldn't shake the image of the fireball as it hit Jeff's face.

She looked toward Chris who was layed out on the floor a few feet in front of her. She then looked for Alex who was just getting to his feet in the ring. His back facing away from James who had just climbed into the ring behind him.

Moving as quick as she could Baylor moved to the other side of the ring. Waiting for the exact moment to act. Robert still had the referee's attention as he climbed out of the ring and started kicking at Chris' midsection.

She looked back at Alex who looked down at her for a split second, confusion on his face as he tilted his head when she pointed behind him.

James just took a sip from his beer bottle and had his finger on the lighter, waiting for Alex to turn his way.

As Alex went to turn around, James brought the lighter up to his lips and just before he ignited the flame, Baylor grabbed a hold of Alex's legs, tripping him and making him fall down on the mat just as James ignited the fireball just missing Alex's face by inches.

Alex moved back to the ring post. His eyes wide as he glanced from Baylor to James and back to Baylor again. Their eyes locking on one another as the referee suddenly called for the bell.

"Winners of this match due to disqualifaction...The Motor City Machine Guns."

"What are you doing?" yelled James as he climbed out of the ring, stalking towards Baylor who was still staring at Alex.

"You cost us the match!" Robert yelled as he walked up to her left side while James came up to her other side.

"I...uh...sorry." she mumbled as she looked away from Alex and down to the floor.

"Sorry? You're sorry? Well you will be sorry when we get back to the locker room, Baylor. You just cost us a chance at the tag team titles! James screamed at her before grasping her arm waking Baylor wince at the pressure he applied.

He grabbed her chin with his other hand, forcing her to look at him. "You are a waste of a valet, Baylor. You're gonna pay for making us lose the chance we've been waiting for." he growled at her before removing his hand from her chin.

As the trio started to make their way back up the entrace ramp, Jeff Jarrett's music started playing throughout the Impact Zone as the founder of TNA made his way to the front of the ramp, microphone in hand.

Baylor looked back towards Alex and Chris who were still in the ring. Chris was watching Jeff as Alex had his eyes on her, a smirk coming to his face. She had a feeling that Alex was the reason behind Jeff Jarrett being out there. She shook her head as she looked back at Jeff, scared to hear what he had to say.

"Beer Money, Beer Money, Beer Money. You guys have been some very bad boys, haven't you? Well I have some news for you. I just got done talking to Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan and some things have come to our attention regarding your treatment of a certain Knockout. Since you boys love manhandling women so much we have come to an agreement and a decision. As of right now, James Storm and Robert Roode, you are both suspended indefinitely.

James and Robert stood there in shock. "You...you can't suspend us! We're the best tag team in the world!" James screamed out before looking at Baylor. "You. This is all your fault! You're gonna pay for this!"

"Oh, on the contrare, Storm. Baylor won't be doing no such thing. Dixie, Hulk and I have come to another decision, effective immediately. As of right now, Baylor will be the new valet...for the Motor City Machine Guns!"

Baylor's eyes went wide as the crowd erupted in cheers.

"And security...please escort Beer Money out of the building, will you please?" Jeff said before turning back toward the entrance tunnel. Leaving as security had begun to surround James and Robert. "You can't make us leave. We're Beer Money!" Robert yelled as security forced them down the ramp stairs. "We'll be back and you're all gonna be sorry." they both continued to yell.

Baylor still stood on the entrance ramp, watching as security escorted her former tag team out of the Impact Zone. A sense and a feeling of relief slowly coming to her. Her mind starting to register what had just happened as she turned toward Alex and Chris. Both men who were climbing out of the ring, making their way to her on the entrance ramp.

Alex grabbed a mic from SoCal Val as Chris walked up to her and put his arm around her, softly squeezing her shoulders. "So what do you say, Baylor? Will you do the honors of being the new valet to the Motor City Machine Guns?"

Baylor smiled at them as the crowd started chanting her name. It was the first time that the crowd had done that. She looked around the Impact Zone as the chant of her name got louder and louder.

She looked toward Chris who smiled at her and then back to Alex who gave her another wink. She sighed before taking the mic from his hands. She winked at Alex in return. "I'd love to be your new valet!"

The crowd then exploded into a "Motor City" chant and clapped as Baylor dropped the mic as she hugged Chris before turning to Alex. "Thank you, Alex." she said before kissing him softly on the cheek.

"Anything for my Motor City Girl." he replied before enveloping Baylor into a hug, spinning her around. "And thank you for saving me from that fireball." he whispered as he placed her back down on her feet.

"Anything for my Motor City Boy." she replied back before grabbing his hand and Chris'. Hugging both men as the crowd continued to chant "Motorcity".


End file.
